Firearm having a revolving cylinder with an operating rod attached thereto



M. RAMSAY Feb. 20, 1968 FIREARM HAVING A REVOLVING CYLINDER WITH AN OPERATING ROD ATTACHED THERETO 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 5, 1966 INVENTOR: MARCUS RAMS/4V ATTORNEY Feb. 20, 1968 M. RAMSAY 3,

FIREARM HAVING A REVOLVING CYLINDER WITH AN OPERATING ROD ATTACHED THERETO 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 5, 1966 T6,. .JLIQ

ATTORNEY INVENTOR: MARCUS RA MSAV United States Patent Ofiice FIREARM HAVING A REVOLVING CYLINDER WITH AN OPERATING ROD ATTACHED THERETO Marcus Ramsay, New Haven, Conn., assignor to Olin Mathieson Chemical Corporation, a corporation of Virginia Filed July 5, 1966, Ser. No. 562,705 14 Claims. (Cl. 4239.5)

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A firearm having a revolving cylinder to which an operating rod having relative axial movement is attached for imparting rotational movement thereto. Operating rod cocking means is provided to impart a torsional force on said operating rod as the operating rod is moved rearwardly within the firearm. After a predetermined amount of rearward movement of the operating rod, the operating rod turns under the influence of the torsional force.

In addition, the cylinder of the firearm has limited axial movement. A breech member is provided immediately behind the cylinder which has limited axial movement in the direction of the axis of the cylinder. A breech locking member is mounted behind the breech member and has pivotal movement about an axis transverse to the longitudinal axis and is provided with a cam surface on its forward face for engagement with the rearward face of the breech member to move the breech member axially forward into tight engagement with said cylinder and the cylinder into tight sealing engagement with the barrel.

This invention relates generally to firearms and more particularly to a shotgun having arevolver action.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved two-shot firearm.

More particularly, it is an object of this invention to provide a two-shot shotgun which is relatively inexpensive to construct and simple in design.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a twoshot shotgun having a revolver action.

.A further object of this invention is to provide a firearm wherein gas losses are minimized.

These and other objects of the invention may be more fully understood by reference to the following description of a preferred embodiment and to the drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a transverse sectional view of a firearm showing the components thereof in the cooked position;

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the lines 22 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a transverse sectional view similar to FIGURE 1 but showing the components positioned as the forearm is moved rearwardly;

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the lines 44 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a transverse sectional view taken along the lines 55 of FIGURE 4; and

FIGURE 6 is a view similar to FIGURE 5 but showing the components positoned after the cylinder has been rotated.

'In accordance with a preferred embodiment of this invention, the firearm may comprise a receiver 2 having barrel member 4 secured to the forward end thereof. A hammer 6 may be mounted within a bore 8 in the receiver 2 and may be spring biased into its forward fired position by a suitable spring member 10. The spring member 10 extends between a collar 12 closing the bore 8 and a flange 14 near the forward end of the hammer 6. A sear I 3,359,314 Patented F eh. 20, 1968 16 is pivotally mounted in the receiver 2 on pin member 18 and includes a rearward face 20 adapted to engage the forward face of a flange 22 at the rearward end of the hammer 6 to hold the hammer 6 in the cocked position.

A rotatable cylinder 24 is mounted within the receiver 2 forwardly of the hammer 6 and immediately rearwardly of the barrel member '4. The cylinder 24 includes two cartridge chambers 26 and 28 having enlarged counterbores 30 and 32 respectively at their rearward end for engagement by the rim of a shot shell. At the forward end of each of the cartridge chambers 26 and 28, the cylinder 24 is provided with forwardly and inwardly tapering surfaces 34 and 36 for mating. and sealing engagement with a tapered opening 38 at the rearward end of the barrel member 4.

As shown in FIGURE 5, the cylinder 24 is provided with upper and lower spring biased cylindrical detents 40 and 42 respectively which extend forwardly therefrom on opposite sides of the cartridge receiving chambers 26 and 28. The bottom detent member 42 is urged forwardly into a cutout 44 in the receiver 2. The upper detent member 40 abuts the rearward end of the receiver 2. The edge of receiver 2 has a tapered slot 46 as shown in FIGURE 4, to cam the detents 40 and 42 inwardly as the cylinder 24 is rotated.

A breech member 50 is provided in the receiver 2 immediately rearward of the cylinder 24 and is so mounted and dimensioned that it has limited axial movement therewith. A firing pin 52 is mounted within a suitable bore 54 in the breech member 50 and is spring biased rearwaIdly by a suitable firing pin spring 56. The firing pin 52 includes an elongated nose portion 58 which is adapted to extend through the bore 54 and contact the primer of a shot shell.

A breech locking member 60 is mounted in the receiver 2 rearward of the breech member 50 on suitable pins 62 which permit rotation of the breech locking member 60 about a horizontal axis extending transversely to the axis of the firearm. An auxiliary hammer 64 is mounted within a suitable bore 66 in the breech locking member 60 and is spring biased rearwardly by a suitable spring member 68.

The forward face 70 of the breech locking member 60 is arcuate in vertical cross section and is adapted to mate with a concave arcuate rearward face 72 on the breech member 50. In cross section, the center of curvature of the forward face 70 is directly below the axis of pins 62. With this arrangement, as the breech locking member 60 is rotated into its firing positon, the forward face 70 acts as a cam surface for moving the breech member 50 into tight engagement with the rearward end portion of the cylinder 24 and the end of a shot shell positioned therein.

The breech locking member 60 further includes a pivotable cocking rod 74 mounted in a slot 75 on pin 76 and extending into a bore 78 in the receiver 2. The bore 78 communicates with the bore 8 which houses the hammer 6 in a manner such that the rearward end of the cocking rod 74 can contact the forward face of the flange 14 of the hammer 6. The axis of rotation of the cocking rod 74 is parallel to, but below and forward of, the axis of rotation of the breech locking member 60 whereby rod 74 will move rearwardly as the breechlocking member 60 is rotated clockwise from its position shown in FIGURE 1.

A suitable trigger member 80 is pivotally mounted on pin 82 within the receiver 2 and includes a finger gripping portion 84 and an upwardly extending sear engaging portion 86.

A safety button 88 is mounted on the receiver 2 for movement between a safety position and a firing position. The button 88 extends through the receiver 2 and includes a plate member 90 positioned along the upper inside wall of the receiver 2. The plate member 90 extends into the area between the receiver 2 and sear 16 when the button 88 is in the safety position, whereby the sear 16 is prevented from rotating as the trigger member is pulled.

An operating rod 92 extends through the cylinder 24 and is attached to a slidable forearm member 94 by any suitable means which permits relative rotation but insures that the operating rod 92 will move axially therewith. As an example of a suitable connection, a U-shaped member 96 may be attached to the forearm by suitable pin members 98 with the legs of the U extending into a circumferential groove 100 in the operating rod 92.

A pin 102 is attached to the cylinder 24 and extends through an elongated slot 104 in the operating rod 92. This arrangement results in the operating rod 92 having limited axial movement with respect to the cylinder 24, but whereby the operating rod can transmit rotational movement thereto.

An upwardly extending projection 106 is mounted in a groove 108 in the operating rod 92 immediately below the breech locking member 60. The particular connection shown permits relative rotational movement between the operating rod 92 and projection 106.

The projection 106 includes an upper arcuate surface 110 which is adapted to be moved into engagement with a concave arcuate surface 112 in the bottom surface of the breech locking member 60 to rotate the breech locking member 60 about the axis of its pin members 62 as the operating rod 92 moves rearwardly.

The rearward end of the operating rod 92 extends into a plate member 114 which is attached to the receiver 2 in any convenient manner. A sleeve member 116 is rotatably disposed about the rearward end of the operating rod 92 and includes an axially extending slot 118 which receives a pin 120 extending from the plate member 114 to prevent rotation thereof relative to the firearm. A pin member 122 extends through the operating rod 92 immediately forwardly of the sleeve member 116. A second pin member 123 extends through the operating rod 92 immediately to the rear of the sleeve member 116 whereby the sleeve member 116 is axially movable with the operating rod 92 while relative rotation is permitted.

An operating rod cocking spring 124 is provided about the rearward end of the operating rod 92 to provide a suitable turning force to rotate the cylinder 24. The cocking spring 124 has its forward end secured to a disc member 126 which is connected to the operating rod 92 for rotation therewith, by pin member 128 extending through the disc member 126 into an elongated slot 130 in the operating rod 92. The elongated slot 130 permits relative axial movement between the disc member 126 and the operating rod 92.

The rearward end of the cocking spring 124 is secured to a ratchet mechanism indicated generally by 132. The ratchet mechanism 132 includes a first ratchet wheel 134 which is rotatably mounted about the sleeve member 116 and has a first set of teeth 138 on its rearward face and a second set of teeth 140 spaced about its circumference. Each set comprises four teeth circumferentially spaced 90 and tapering to their greatest height in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIGURE 2. It is to be understood that each set need only include two teeth if desired. A second ratchet wheel 142, having four teeth 144 on its forward face adapted to engage with the teeth 138 of ratchet wheel 134, is positioned rearwardly of the first ratchet wheel 134 and includes a pin member 146 extending into a cam slot 148 in the sleeve member 116. The cam slot 148 extends along the circumference of the sleeve member 116 and has its forward and rearward end portions circumferentially spaced 180 in a counterclockwise direction from front to rear.

An upwardly extending spring member 150 is attached 4- to the side of the plate member 114 at the forward end thereof and extends upwardly into engagement with the circumferentially spaced teeth 138 on ratchet wheel 134. A sleeve member 152 is disposed forwardly of the disc member 126 about the operating rod 92 to properly position the disc member 126.

An ejector plunger 154 is mounted for axial reciprocation in a suitable bore 156 in the receiver 2 and is aligned with the bottom cartridge receiving chamber 28. A plunger rod 158 has its rearward end attached to the forearm 94 and its forward end slidably disposed within the ejector plunger 154. A coil spring member 160 is provided within the ejector plunger 154 and extends between the front wall thereof and the forward face of the plunger rod 158. A spring biased catch member 162 is mounted on the receiver 2 and has a catch 164 adapted to extend into an opening 166 in the ejector plunger 154 to prevent movement thereof. A cooperating release member 168 is mounted in the forearm 94 for releasing the catch member 162 at the proper time during operation.

As shown in FIGURES 46, the forearm 94 is provided with a rod member 170 which is pivotably mounted by means of a hinge plate 172. A spring member 174 biases the rod member 170 into its up position as shown in FIGURE 5. The rod member extends along the cutout 44 in the receiver 2 and is so positioned that it will engage the bottom detent 42 in the cylinder 24 as the forearm 94 is moved rearwardly. The end of the rod member 170 opposite the hinge plate 172 has a cam surface 176 for engagement by the detents 40 and 42 as the cylinder 24 is rotated.

In operation, with the parts positioned as shown in FIGURE 1, the safety button 88 may be moved into the firing position wherein the plate member 90 is moved out of interference with the sear 16. With the safety button 88 so positioned, the trigger member 80 may be pulled whereupon the sear engaging portion 86 will contact the sear 16, moving it upwardly so that its face 20 thereof is disengaged from the flange 22 on the rear of the hammer 6. The hammer 6 is then propelled forward under the influence of its spring 10, contacting and imparting forward motion to the auxiliary hammer 64. The auxiliary hammer 64 in turn propels the firing pin 52 forwardly into contact with the primer of shot shell 178, thereby causing the firing thereof.

After the firing, the operator may grasp the forearm 94 and move it rearwardly, imparting rearward movement to the operating rod 92. The, pin member 122 engages the forward face of cam sleeve 116 causing rearward movement thereof. As the sleeve 116 moves rearwardly, the pin 146 in ratchet wheel 142 rides in the cam slot 148', whereby wheel 142 is rotated counterclockwise as viewed in FIGURE 3 relative to the operating rod 92. Due to the interlocking of teeth 138 and 144, as ratchet wheel 142 rotates, it rotates ratchet wheel 138 whereby the rearward and of the cocking spring 124 is rotated 180 relative to its forward end resulting in the spring being torsionally cocked.

Concurrently with the cocking of the spring member 124, as the forearm 94 is moved rearwardly, the projection 106 on the operating rod 92 abuts the concave arcuate surface 112 in the bottom surface of the breech locking member 60 and pivots the breech locking member 60 about the axis of its pin members 62. As the breech locking member 60 is pivoted, the cocking rod 74 abuts flange 14 of the hammer 6 and moves the hammer 6 rearwardly in the receiver 2 until the end flange 22 thereof is positioned rearward of the face 20 on sear 16 and held in the cocking position thereby.

At this point, the components of the firearm are positioned as shown in FIGURES 35. Additional rearward movement of the forearm 94 will result in the rod member 170 contacting the forward face of the lower detent member 42 and pushing it rearwardly out of the cutout 44. As the breech locking member 60 has been moved rearwardly, the cylinder 24 and breech member 50 will also move rearwardly.

Since the cocking spring 124 is torsionall cocked, as soon as the tapering surface 34 of the cylinder 24 clears the tapered opening 38 in the barrel 4, the operating rod 92 will be free to rotate under the influence of spring 124. As has been explained above, the spring member 124 has been cocked 180 so that it will tend to rotate the operating rod 92 and the cylinder 24 that amount.

Near the end of rotation of the cylinder 24, the detent 40 will contact the cam surface 176 on the rod member 170 whereby rod member 170 will be depressed as shown in FIGURE 6. The cylinder 24 will continue to rotate until the detent 40 contacts the side of the cutout 44 at which point the cylinder will be properly aligned with the barrel 4 and receiver 2.

Further rearward movement of the forearm 94 results in the release member 168 depressing catch 162. Since the plunger rod 158 has moved rearward compressing spring 160, the plunger 154 is spring biased forwardly as shown in FIGURE 3, and upon release of the catch 164 will move forwardly into cartridge chamber 26 and eject the spent shot shell.

At this point, the operator may reverse the motion of the forearm 94. The forward motion of the forearm 94 and the attached operating rod 92 results in the pin 146 of ratchet wheel 142 riding in the cam slot 148 of sleeve member 116 causing clockwise rotation thereof as viewed in FIGURE 2. The spring member 160 engaging circumferential teeth 140 will prevent rotation of ratchet wheel 134 while the tapered construction of the teeth 138 and 144 will permit ratchet wheel 142 to rotate relative to ratchet wheel 134. This arrangement prevents the spring 124 from being unwound as the forearm 94 is moved forward.

Concurrently, the projection 106 on the operating rod 92 contacts the concave surface 112 of the breech locking member 60 and causes rotation thereof in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIGURE 1, returning the breech locking member to the firing position. Due to the configuration of the forward cam surface 70 thereof, the breech member 50 will be forced forwardly causing a corresponding forward motion of the cylinder 24. This insures tight sealing engagement between the forward tapering surface 36 of the cylinder 24 and the tapered openings 38 in the barrel 4-.

At the completion of the forward return movement of the forearm 94, the plunger rod 158 will have engaged the plunger 154 and moved it forwardly out of the cartridge chamber and into a position to be engaged by the catch 162. At this time, the operator may either fire the fresh shot shell now positioned in the chamber 28 aligned with the barrel 4, or load another shell into the now empty cartridge receiving chamber 26.

By virtue of the above-described arrangement, a twoshot shotgun is provided which is relatively simple, yet efi icient in function. The provision of the particular ratchet and cocking spring arrangement results in an effective revolver action. The provision of the cam surface on the breech locking member insures that the cylinder is positioned against the barrel and gas leakage is minimized.

Various other modifications and alterations will suggest themselves readily to persons skilled in the art. It is intended therefore that the foregoing description be considered as exemplary only, and that the scope of the invention be ascertained from the following claims:

What is claimed is:

1. In a firearm, a receiver, a barrel attached to and extending from said receiver, a cylinder having a plurality of cartridge receiving chambers mounted in said receiver for rotation about a longitudinal axis, each said chamber being adapted to be moved successively into alignment with said barrel, operating rod means attached to said cylinder for imparting rotational movement thereto and 6 having relative axial movement therewith along said longitudinal axis, operating rod cocking means operable to be cocked upon rearward movement of said operating rod for applying a torsional force to said cocking rod, means for preventing rotation of said cylinder until said cocking means is completely cocked by a predetermined amount of rearward movement of said operating rod, means for releasing said rotation preventing means after said predetermined movement of said operating rod so that the operating rod rotates under the influence of the torsional force of said cocking means to rotate said cylinder.

2. In a firearm, a receiver, a barrel attached to and extending from said receiver, a cylinder having a plurality of cartridge receiving chambers mounted in said receiver for rotation about a longitudinal axis, each said chamber being adapted to be moved successively into alignment with said barrel, operating rod means attached to said cylinder for imparting rotational movement thereto and having limited relative axial movement therewith, and operating rod cocking means operable upon movement of said operating rod to impart a torsional force on said operating rod as said operating rod moves rearwardly whereby after a predetermined amount of rearward movement of said opeating rod said operating rod rotates under the influence of said torsional force, said cocking means including ratchet means having relative rotation with respect to said operating rod, spring means having one end connected to said ratchet means and its other end attached to said operating rod, and cam means for rotating said ratchet means relative to said operating rod upon rearward movement of said operating rod for cocking said spring means to apply a torsional force to said operating rod.

3. The firearm of claim 2 wherein said cam means includes a sleeve member rotatably disposed about said operating rod and having fixed axial movement therewith, said sleeve member having an axially extending slot, the forward end of said slot being disposed circumferentially from the rearward end, and said ratchet means includes a first disc member rotatably disposed about said sleeve member and having means extending into said cam slot, a first set of tapered teeth on the forward face of said first disc member, a second disc member having a second set of tapered teeth on the rearward end thereof in mating engagement with the teeth of said first disc member, a third set of tapered teeth disposed about the circumference of the second disc member, and a leaf spring member attached to said receiver and extending into engagement with said second set of teeth.

4. The firearm of claim 3 wherein said cylinder includes two cartridge receiving chambers and further including a forearm slidable with respect to said receiver, said operating rod being connected thereto for movement thereby.

5. The firearm of claim 4 further including a cutout in said receiver, spring biased detent members adjacent each said cartridge chamber adapted to extend from said cylinder to abut said cutout upon rotation thereof to properly align a cartridge receiving chamber with said barrel.

6. The firearm of claim 5 further including a rod member pivotably attached to said forearm and extending along said cutout in axial alignment with one of said detents, said rod member having a tapered surface for contact by said detent upon rotation of said cylinder to pivot said rod member downwardly, and spring means biasing said rod member upwardly.

7. In a firearm, a receiver, a barrel attached to said receiver and extending therefrom, a cylinder having a plurality of cartridge receiving chambers mounted within said receiver for rotation about a longitudinal axis and limited axial movement in the direction of said axis, each said chamber being adapted to be moved successively into alignment with said barrel, a breech member mounted in said receiver immediately behind said cylinder and having limited axial movement parallel to said longitudinal axis, a breech locking member mounted in said receiver behind said breech member and having pivotal movement about an axis transverse to said longitudinal axis and fixed with respect to said receiver, cam means on the forward face of said breech locking member for engagement with the rearward face of said breech member to move said breech member axially forward, and means for pivoting said breech locking member so that the forward face thereof engages the rearward face of said breech member to move said breech member into tight engagement with said cylinder and said cylinder into tight sealing engagement with said barrel.

8. The firearm according to claim 7 wherein the forward face of said cylinder immediately surrounding each of said cartridge receiving chambers includes a forwardly extending tapered surface and said barrel has a mating taper for engagement with a taper surface on said cylinder.

9. The firearm of claim 8 further including a hammer member mounted in the receiver for movement parallel to said longitudinal axis, an auxiliary hammer in said breech locking member in axial alignment with said hammer and in a position to be contacted thereby, a firing pin within said breech member in axial alignment with said hammers and in a position to be contacted by said auxiliary hammer and a cocking rod pivotably connected to said breech locking member in a position to engage said hammer member upon rotation of said breech locking means, and sear means to engage said hammer membef upon rearward movement thereof for holding said hammer member in a cocked position.

10. The firearm of claim 8 wherein said means for pivoting said breech locking member includes an operating rod having an arcuate projection, and said breech locking means includes a concave arcuate surface for engagement by said projection.

11. The firearm of claim 10 wherein said operating rod means is attached to said cylinder for imparting rotational movement thereto and having limited axial relative movement therewith, and further including operating rod cocking means operable upon axial movement of said operating rod to rotate said cylinderto align the next successive cartridge chamber with said barrel.

12. The firearm of claim 11 further including a forearm having relative movement with respect to said receiver, said operating rod being connected to said forearm for relative axial movement therewith, and ejector means operable upon movement of said forearm to eject a cartridge from said cylinder after said cylinder has been rotated by said operating rod cocking means.

13. The firearm of claim 12 wherein said ejector means includes a plunger having axial movement in a bore in said receiver, a plunger rod having relative axial movement with said plunger and having one end connected to said forearm, and spring means interposed between the other end of said plunger rod and said plunger, and means for preventing movement of said plunger toward said cylinder until a predetermined amount of movement of said forearm.

14. The firearm of claim 13 wherein said means for preventing movement of said plunger includes a spring biased catch member pivotally mounted on said receiver and having a catch extending into and abutting an opening in said plunger, and wherein said forearm includes catch release means for contacting said catch to disengage said catch from said plunger after a predetermined amount of rearward axial movement of said forearm.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 8/1881 Cory 4259 2/1932 Messenie 42-59 

